1 year ago

From the post alone, having not heard all their talks on it:

It might be the weird drive to remove all symbols of faith from public places, even the smallest, that he is talking about. Like a kid suing a school and winning because the school allowed something christian to be put up by other students. Or people having a memorial cross set up by soldiers to remember their dead removed because it is a sign of Christianity. There is also the fact that the equal of “children of no color” in that comparison, are atheists. Hence why someone might say certain things favor them, rather than the religious. They are another group in the mix and another belief system that is often more religious that the religious. The system does sometimes seem to say “no faiths are welcome” but “in public” should be added usually.

It’s kinda funny and I don’t think there is a way around it unless those who oppose public display of religion allow some public display as long as it is not forced on them. There is no neutral position here, not to people’s eyes anyway. There is also the issue of hinting at a lack of boundary between beliefs. That is not true tolerance but literal destruction of belief systems.

Though, this guy probably screwed up the interpretation of the speech. I saw his talk about something Obama said in relation to college yesterday and boy did Santorum fail.

On the real though, as a Christian, I don’t trust any of these guys (especially when they pull the Christian card)

via messyguess

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1 year ago

Does Jesus Hate Religion? Kinda, Sorta, Not Really «

Does Jesus Hate Religion? Kinda, Sorta, Not Really

UPDATE: Since I posted this article, Jefferson Bethke and I have had a chance to talk by email and over the phone. I included some of our conversation in a follow up post. I hope you will be as encouraged by the exchange as I was.

******

There’s a new You Tube video going viral and it’s about Jesus and religion.

Specifically how Jesus hates religion.

The video—which in a few days has gone from hundreds of views to thousands to millions—shows Jefferson Bethke, who lives in the Seattle area, delivering a well-crafted, sharply produced, spoken word poem. The point, according to Bethke, is “to highlight the difference between Jesus and false religion.” In the past few days I’ve seen this video pop up all over Facebook. I’ve had people from my church say they like it. Some has asked me what I think. Others have told me there’s something off about the poem, but they can’t quite articulate what it is. I’ll try to explain what that is in a moment. But first watch the video for yourself.

Before I say anything else, let me say Jefferson Bethke seems like a sincere young man who wants people to know God’s scandalous grace. I’m sure he’s telling the truth when he says on his Facebook page: “I love Jesus, I’m addicted to grace, and I’m just a messed up dude trying to make Him famous.” If I met him face to face, I bet I’d like Jefferson and his honesty and passion. I bet I’d be encouraged by his story and his desire to free people from the snares of self-help, self-righteous religion.

And yet (you knew it was coming), amidst a lot of true things in this poem there is a lot that is unhelpful and misleading.

This video is the sort of thing that many younger Christians love. It sounds good, looks good, and feels good. But is it true? That’s the question we must always ask. And to answer that question, I want to go through this poem slowly, verse by verse. Not because I think this is the worst thing ever. It’s certainly not. Nor because I think this video will launch a worldwide revolution. I want to spend some time on this because Bethke perfectly captures the mood, and in my mind the confusion, of a lot of earnest, young Christians.

This be some of what I thought when someone shared that vid with me. Have to really think about things that come your way. It sounds good, but…

Blogger spoke with the guy that made the video here . I thought he had good intentions but bad delivery that was likely misleading.

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1 year ago

Scott Hahn and Benjamin Wiker on the “New Atheism” 2008

Talking about Richard Dawkins, his arguments and what they may lead to.

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1 year ago

US candidates talk about morals and religion

- I’d love to know what most people think of what these guys say. Not sure. I definitely am not for the direction so much of the world is going in, but are they going too far?

(Source: youtube.com)

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1 year ago

I have lived in Japan for a long time now, and as other posters have stated, a Japanese person will tell you with a straight face and complete faith that they are athiest and dont practice shinto or buddhism. Then have a pray before they eat. Then go to a shrine or temple and have a bit of a pray for a dead relative or for a ritually important time of year. Then go home and burn some more incense and have another pray at their houses BLOODY altar!!!! How athiest is that? »lmao. Saw this comment on the religious situation of Japan. They just don’t know what they are I guess. =/

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1 year ago

Reading this book.

Eternity in Their Hearts: Startling Evidence of Belief in the One True God in Hundreds of Cultures Throughout the World

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1 year ago

HIGH SCHOOL COACHES IN TROUBLE FOR BOWING THEIR HEADS DURING STUDENT-LED PRAYER IN TENNESSEE «

Several public high school football coaches in Westmoreland, Tenn. are in trouble for bowing their heads during a student-led prayer before a recent game.

According to local NBC affiliate WSMV, the coaches didn’t say anything aloud themselves, but bowed their heads in observance alongside the students.

Word got back to the principal and the school district, which found the coaches’ participation to be an uncomfortable mix of religion and public school.

^_-

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1 year ago

Just came back from an open praise and worship session in a tiny park/square at a busy intersection

Interesting. Really not my cup of Kool-aid

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1 year ago

Listen to this yesterday. Good listen

http://intelligentdesign.podomatic.com/

A Beautifully Engineered Universe: Peer-Reviewed Paper Argues for Intelligent DesignJanuary 05, 2011 12:13 PM PST

On this episode of ID the Future, Dr. Dominic Halsmer, Dean of the College of Science and Engineering at Oral Roberts University, continues the discussion of his peer-reviewed paper, “The Coherence Of An Engineered World,” published in theInternational Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics. Listen in as Dr. Halsmer explains some of the aesthetic arguments for design from beauty in science, engineering, and the study of humanity. How do modularity, specificity, adaptability, durability, and other aspects of engineering systems argue for intelligent design in nature? Tune in to find out.

Discovery Institute